The Sibley Enigma

[jimtastic56]

Sibley showed again tonight he has the one thing that costs a fortune in football- he can score goals. I hope he can build a good relationship with Warne and progress now. Paul might even let him take penalties.

[IslandExile]

Played well tonight, deflected shot for the goal, got around the pitch, tracked back, excellent delivery of corners, no really rash tackles.

Edited November 1, 2022 by IslandExile

[Ghost of Clough]

Only his 6th position in 6 games (AM, CF, LW, LWB, CM and now DM). It's no surprise he's played well again when playing in a central midfielder position. Needs to improve on his positional awareness if he's to keep playing in the position he did tonight.

[BramcoteRam84]

Im starting to think his best position might be as an 8. Box to Box. Needs to improve tackling and positional awareness but that’s where you get the most out of his ball carrying ability, which means we would need to play with a midfield three. His best game IMO was Accrington when he played in a midfield three. He had to play in a two last night out of sheer necessity, the other option would’ve been thompson. 

[Anag Ram]

8 hours ago, jimtastic56 said:

Sibley showed again tonight he has the one thing that costs a fortune in football- he can score goals. I hope he can build a good relationship with Warne and progress now. Paul might even let him take penalties.

Bit over-egging it but I agree that he has the potential to score goals.

He just needs to prove it.

He did play much better last night and I was pleased for him that he got his goal. I hope he builds on it.

[jimtastic56]

28 minutes ago, Anag Ram said:

Bit over-egging it but I agree that he has the potential to score goals.

He just needs to prove it.

He did play much better last night and I was pleased for him that he got his goal. I hope he builds on it.

Would you say his goal “Scrambled” in?

[Anag Ram]

1 minute ago, jimtastic56 said:

Would you say his goal “Scrambled” in?

Maybe he’s a goal poacher ?

[RoyMac5]

37 minutes ago, Anag Ram said:

Maybe he’s a goal poacher ?

Stop over-egging the pudding!

[Ghost of Clough]

The worst tackler ever made more tackles than any other Derby player last night too.

[SirBrian]

Needs a proper run of games in his correct position, sadly next game will be on the bench or playing out of position for Hourihane will replace him odds on.

[Premier ram]

Good all round midfield performance last night , keep it up Louie lad

[kevinhectoring]

The ball seems to bounce higher when it’s close to him. Anyone know why ?

[kevinhectoring]

8 hours ago, SirBrian said:

Needs a proper run of games in his correct position, sadly next game will be on the bench or playing out of position for Hourihane will replace him odds on.

Wouldn’t be surprised to see Hourihane replace Bird, the latter having picked up a niggle in training.  

[sage]

I don't think he can play as one of a two, he doesn't have the positional sense or defensive awareness 

If you look at their goal again. Bird as twice as far to travel to get the block in and gets much nearer to the scorer. 

Not Sibleys fault but his inclusion left us so open. 

[Carl Sagan]

11 hours ago, sage said:

I don't think he can play as one of a two, he doesn't have the positional sense or defensive awareness 

If you look at their goal again. Bird as twice as far to travel to get the block in and gets much nearer to the scorer. 

Not Sibleys fault but his inclusion left us so open. 

This sort of endless sniping really frustrates me. Sibley had yet another excellent game, in many people's eyes (looking at the ratings) it was a MotM performance. He scored the goal that got us back into the game when it was beginning to get hard to see where a goal was coming from. He's not been played enough IMO yet only Collins and McGoldrick have scored more Rams goals this season. We desperately need him in midfield, whether it's a two or a three, because of his ability to carry the ball forward at pace, his physicality and tackling and his inventiveness and vision in the final third. And that desire to score. Yet we have here "I don 't think he can play in a two". I was so pleased to see Warne "trust" him to play there, and for the full 90, and reap the rewards as a consequence.

[sage]

13 minutes ago, Carl Sagan said:

This sort of endless sniping really frustrates me. Sibley had yet another excellent game, in many people's eyes (looking at the ratings) it was a MotM performance. He scored the goal that got us back into the game when it was beginning to get hard to see where a goal was coming from. He's not been played enough IMO yet only Collins and McGoldrick have scored more Rams goals this season. We desperately need him in midfield, whether it's a two or a three, because of his ability to carry the ball forward at pace, his physicality and tackling and his inventiveness and vision in the final third. And that desire to score. Yet we have here "I don 't think he can play in a two". I was so pleased to see Warne "trust" him to play there, and for the full 90, and reap the rewards as a consequence.

I do apologise for offering an opinion after going to the game. 

I can only reflect on the fact that my views differ from yours and bow my head in shame. 

 

[Guest]

@Carl Sagan @sage

In my view the answer lies somewhere between your posts.

Sibley did very well in a pretty unfamiliar position - certainly as far as his first XI experience goes. He has (quite understandably) some shortcomings in that position but I for one would be up for putting him there again and, presumably, so would Sibley if it was the alternative to being benched. I would add to that: until the Bristol Rovers game I was starting to wonder whether Hourihane had actually ever played the position himself too! So it's not even as if Hourihane is a clear better option in a midfield two. I thought on the whole Sibley took up good positions at Morecambe, and tracked back pretty well too -one successful chase and tackle in particular comes to mind.

He wasn't my man of the match, but he had a good game. I couldn't stretch to "yet another excellent game" though. In terms of the league I thought he was very good at Accrington, and had strong performances against Barnsley, Peterborough, Wycombe and Oxford (sub). OK in most others, and off the pace in a couple (e.g. Ipswich). That isn't a particular criticism because if he had a run in the team he'd probably have managed more - the implication being that if he can manage to be consistently very good when he does get on the pitch, he probably will (finally) get an extended run in the team.

[Ghost of Clough]

18 minutes ago, jameso said:

@Carl Sagan @sage

In my view the answer lies somewhere between your posts.

Sibley did very well in a pretty unfamiliar position - certainly as far as his first XI experience goes. He has (quite understandably) some shortcomings in that position but I for one would be up for putting him there again and, presumably, so would Sibley if it was the alternative to being benched. I would add to that: until the Bristol Rovers game I was starting to wonder whether Hourihane had actually ever played the position himself too! So it's not even as if Hourihane is a clear better option in a midfield two. I thought on the whole Sibley took up good positions at Morecambe, and tracked back pretty well too -one successful chase and tackle in particular comes to mind.

He wasn't my man of the match, but he had a good game. I couldn't stretch to "yet another excellent game" though. In terms of the league I thought he was very good at Accrington, and had strong performances against Barnsley, Peterborough, Wycombe and Oxford (sub). OK in most others, and off the pace in a couple (e.g. Ipswich). That isn't a particular criticism because if he had a run in the team he'd probably have managed more - the implication being that if he can manage to be consistently very good when he does get on the pitch, he probably will (finally) get an extended run in the team.

I think the problem for a lot of people is that Sibley isn't allowed a single bad game, otherwise he's benched. Whereas others are allowed to play through a run of bad form.

I don think @Carl Sagan's criticism of @sage is a tad harsh, as I said something similar earlier in the thread. If he is to paly that role consistently, he definitely needs to work on his positioning, however, he's proven himself to be capable cover in that position.

[sage]

24 minutes ago, Ghost of Clough said:

I think the problem for a lot of people is that Sibley isn't allowed a single bad game, otherwise he's benched. Whereas others are allowed to play through a run of bad form.

I don think @Carl Sagan's criticism of @sage is a tad harsh, as I said something similar earlier in the thread. If he is to paly that role consistently, he definitely needs to work on his positioning, however, he's proven himself to be capable cover in that position.

It's interesting that you state that Sibley isn't allowed a bad game but also suggest he has proven himself as capable cover on the basis of one game. 

As the alternatives were the inexperienced Rooney and the out of form Thompson, I can see why Warne picked him there, but I can't see it being repeated unless the cupboard is bare again. 

I do worry that in the 442 that PW seems to see as out best formation. 

 

[Anag Ram]

4 minutes ago, sage said:

It's interesting that you state that Sibley isn't allowed a bad game but also suggest he has proven himself as capable cover on the basis of one game. 

As the alternatives were the inexperienced Rooney and the out of form Thompson, I can see why Warne picked him there, but I can't see it being repeated unless the cupboard is bare again. 

I do worry that in the 442 that PW seems to see as out best formation. 

 

I would argue that it’s 4-2-4 at the moment.

I can’t really see how NML and Dobbin can be seen as midfield players in the way they play.

We therefore need two strong defensive mids in that type of lineup.

Bielik’s return would help. Who to put with him is another question.

If we revert to 4-3-3 when Knight comes back it gives Sibley more chance as a left sided midfield player.